15 U.S. Code § 2054 - Product safety information and research

(1)maintain an Injury Information Clearinghouse to collect, investigate, analyze, and disseminate injury data, and information, relating to the causes and prevention of death, injury, and illness associated with consumer products;

(2)conduct such continuing studies and investigations of deaths, injuries, diseases, other health impairments, and economic losses resulting from accidents involving consumer products as it deems necessary;

(3)following publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking for a product safety rule under any rulemaking authority administered by the Commission, assist public and private organizations or groups of manufacturers, administratively and technically, in the development of safety standards addressing the risk of injury identified in such notice; and

(4)to the extent practicable and appropriate (taking into account the resources and priorities of the Commission), assist public and private organizations or groups of manufacturers, administratively and technically, in the development of product safety standards and test methods.

(b) Research, investigation and testing of consumer products

The Commission may—

(1)conduct research, studies, and investigations on the safety of consumer products and on improving the safety of such products;

In carrying out its functions under this section, the Commission may make grants or enter into contracts for the conduct of such functions with any person (including a governmental entity).

(d) Availability to public of information

Whenever the Federal contribution for any information, research, or development activity authorized by this chapter is more than minimal, the Commission shall include in any contract, grant, or other arrangement for such activity, provisions effective to insure that the rights to all information, uses, processes, patents, and other developments resulting from that activity will be made available to the public without charge on a nonexclusive basis. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to deprive any person of any right which he may have had, prior to entering into any arrangement referred to in this subsection, to any patent, patent application, or invention.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1209(b), struck out provision that the Commission may assist public and private organizations, administratively and technically, in the development of safety standards and test methods.

Pub. L. 101–608, title II, § 204,Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3124, provided that: “The Consumer Product Safety Commission shall conduct a study of requiring manufacturers of consumer products to include aversive agents, as appropriate, in products which present a hazard if ingested to determine the potential effectiveness of the aversive agents in deterring ingestion. In conducting the study, the Commission shall consult with appropriate consumer, health, and business organizations and appropriate government agencies. The Commission shall report to Congress the status of the study within one year of the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 16, 1990] and shall complete the study not later than 2 years after such date of enactment.”

“(a) Short Title.—This Act may be cited as the ‘Fire Safe Cigarette Act of 1990’.

“(b) Findings.—The Congress finds that—

“(1) cigarette-ignited fires are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States,

“(2) in 1987, there were 1,492 deaths from cigarette-ignited fires, 3,809 serious injuries, and $395,000,000 in property damage caused by such fires,

“(3) the final report of the Technical Study Group on Cigarette and Little Cigar Fire Safety under the Cigarette Safety Act of 1984 [set out below] determined that (A) it is technically feasible and may be commercially feasible to develop a cigarette that will have a significantly reduced propensity to ignite furniture and mattresses, and (B) the overall impact on other aspects of the United States society and economy may be minimal,

“(4) the final report of the Technical Study Group on Cigarette and Little Cigar Fire Safety under the Cigarette Safety Act of 1984 further determined that the value of a cigarette with less of a likelihood to ignite furniture and mattresses which would prevent property damage and personal injury and loss of life is economically incalculable,

“(5) it is appropriate for the Congress to require by law the completion of the research described in the final report of the Technical Study Group on Cigarette and Little Cigar Fire Safety and an assessment of the practicability of developing a performance standard to reduce cigarette ignition propensity, and

“(6) it is appropriate for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to utilize its expertise to complete the recommendations for further work and report to Congress in a timely fashion.

“(c) Health and Human Services.—The Consumer Product Safety Commission, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall develop information on changes in the toxicity of smoke and resultant health effects from cigarette prototypes. The Commission shall not obligate more than $50,000 to develop such information.

“(a) Establishment.—There is established the Technical Advisory Group to advise and work with the Consumer Product Safety Commission and National Institute for Standards and Technology’s Center for Fire Research on the implementation of this Act. The Technical Advisory Group may hold hearings to develop information to carry out its functions. The Technical Advisory Group shall terminate 1 month after the submission of the final report of the Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission under section
4.

“(b) Members.—The Technical Advisory Group shall consist of the same individuals appointed to the Technical Study Group on Cigarette and Little Cigar Fire Safety under section 3(a) of the Cigarette Safety Act of 1984 [set out below]. If such an individual is unavailable to serve on the Technical Advisory Group, the entity which such individual represented on such Technical Study Group shall submit to the Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission the name of another individual to be appointed by the Chairman to represent such group on the Technical Advisory Group.

“The Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in consultation with the Technical Advisory Group, shall submit to Congress three reports on the activities undertaken under section
2 as follows: The first such report shall be made not later than 13 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 10, 1990], the second such report shall be made not later than 25 months after such date, and the final such report shall be made not later than 36 months after such date.

“(a) In General.—Any information provided to the National Institute for Standards and Technology’s Center for Fire Research, to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, or to the Technical Advisory Group under section
2 which is designated as trade secret or confidential information shall be treated as trade secret or confidential information subject to section
552(b)(4) of title
5, United States Code, and section
1905 of title
18, United States Code, and shall not be revealed, except as provided under subsection (b). No member or employee of the Center for Fire Research, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, or the Technical Advisory Group and no person assigned to or consulting with the Center for Fire Research, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, or the Technical Advisory Group, shall disclose any such information to any person who is not a member or employee of, assigned to, or consulting with, the Center for Fire Research, Consumer Product Safety Commission, or the Technical Advisory Group unless the person submitting such information specifically and in writing authorizes such disclosure.

“(b) Construction.—Subsection (a) does not authorize the withholding of any information from any duly authorized subcommittee or committee of the Congress, except that if a subcommittee or committee of the Congress requests the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the National Institute for Standards and Technology’s Center for Fire Research, or the Technical Advisory Group to provide such information, the Commission, the Center for Fire Research, or Technical Advisory Group shall notify the person who provided the information of such a request in writing.”

“Sec. 2. (a) There is established the Interagency Committee on Cigarette and Little Cigar Fire Safety (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ‘Interagency Committee’) which shall consist of—

“(1) the Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, who shall be the Chairman of the Interagency Committee;

“(2) the United States Fire Administrator in the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who shall be the Vice Chairman of the Interagency Committee; and

“(3) the Assistant Secretary of Health in the Department of Health and Human Services.

“(b) The Interagency Committee shall direct, oversee, and review the work of the Technical Study Group on Cigarette and Little Cigar Fire Safety (established under section
3) conducted under section
4 and shall make such policy recommendations to the Congress as it deems appropriate. The Interagency Committee may retain and contract with such consultants as it deems necessary to assist the Study Group in carrying out its functions under section
4. The Interagency Committee may request the head of any Federal department or agency to detail any of the personnel of the department or agency to assist the Interagency Committee or the Study Group in carrying out its responsibilities. The authority of the Interagency Committee to enter into contracts shall be effective for any fiscal year only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance by appropriation Acts.

“(c) For the purpose of carrying out section
4, the Interagency Committee or the Study Group, with the advice and consent of the Interagency Committee, may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence, as the Interagency Committee or the Study Group considers appropriate.

“Sec. 3. (a) There is established the Technical Study Group on Cigarette and Little Cigar Fire Safety (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ‘Study Group’) which shall consist of—

“(1) one scientific or technical representative each from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Center for Fire Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Cancer Institute, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the appointment of whom shall be made by the heads of those agencies;

“(2) four scientific or technical representatives appointed by the Chairman of the Interagency Committee, by and with the advice and consent of the Interagency Committee, from a list of individuals submitted by the Tobacco Institute;

“(3) two scientific or technical representatives appointed by the Chairman of the Interagency Committee, by and with the advice and consent of the Interagency Committee, who are selected from lists of individuals submitted by the following organizations: the American Burn Association, the American Public Health Association, and the American Medical Association;

“(4) two scientific or technical representatives appointed by the Chairman of the Interagency Committee, by and with the advice and consent of the Interagency Committee, who are selected from lists of individuals submitted by the following organizations: the National Fire Protection Association, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the International Society of Fire Service Instructors, and the National Volunteer Fire Council; and

“(5) one scientific or technical representative appointed by the Chairman of the Interagency Committee, by and with the advice and consent of the Interagency Committee, from lists of individuals submitted by the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association and one scientific or technical representative appointed by the Chairman, by and with the advice and consent of the Interagency Committee, from lists of individuals submitted by the American Furniture Manufacturers Association.

“(b) The persons appointed to serve on the Study Group may designate, with the advice and consent of the Interagency Committee, from among their number such persons to serve as team leaders, coordinators, or chairpersons as they deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the Study Group’s functions under section
4.

“Sec. 4. The Study Group shall undertake, subject to oversight and review by the Interagency Committee, such studies and other activities as it considers necessary and appropriate to determine the technical and commercial feasibility, economic impact, and other consequences of developing cigarettes and little cigars that will have a minimum propensity to ignite upholstered furniture or mattresses. Such activities include identification of the different physical characteristics of cigarettes and little cigars which have an impact on the ignition of upholstered furniture and mattresses, an analysis of the feasibility of altering any pertinent characteristics to reduce ignition propensity, and an analysis of the possible costs and benefits, both to the industry and the public, associated with any such product modification.

“Sec. 5. The Interagency Committee shall submit one year after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 1984] a status report to the Senate and the House of Representatives describing the activities undertaken under section
4 during the preceding year. The Interagency Committee shall submit a final technical report, prepared by the Study Group, to the Senate and the House of Representatives not later than thirty months after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 1984]. The Interagency Committee shall provide to the Congress, within sixty days after the submission of the final technical report, any policy recommendations the Interagency Committee deems appropriate. The Interagency Committee and the Study Group shall terminate one month after submission of the policy recommendations prescribed by this section.

“Sec. 6. (a) Any information provided to the Interagency Committee or to the Study Group under section
4 which is designated as trade secret or confidential information shall be treated as trade secret or confidential information subject to section
552(b)(4) of title
5, United States Code, and section
1905 of title
18, United States Code, and shall not be revealed, except as provided under subsection (b). No member of the Study Group or Interagency Committee, and no person assigned to or consulting with the Study Group, shall disclose any such information to any person who is not a member of, assigned to, or consulting with, the Study Group or Interagency Committee unless the person submitting such information specifically and in writing authorizes such disclosure.

“(b) Subsection (a) does not authorize the withholding of any information from any duly authorized subcommittee or committee of the Congress, except that if a subcommittee or committee of the Congress requests the Interagency Committee to provide such information, the Chairman of the Interagency Committee shall notify the person who provided the information of such a request in writing.

“(c) The Interagency Committee shall, on the vote of a majority of its members, adopt reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality of trade secret and confidential information, as defined in this section.

“Sec. 7. As used in this Act, the terms ‘cigarettes’ and ‘little cigars’ have the meanings given such terms by section 3 of the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act [15 U.S.C. 1332].”